Japan

Daily Pic (Nagashima Spa Land)

Julian Krakowiak/Alamy

Seasonal lights dazzle in Japan

This is just a glimpse of the elaborate light display at Nabana-no-Sato, a flower park located in the garden of Nagashima Spa Land in Kuwana, Japan. Millions of LED light bulbs are used here to illuminate the grounds and create shimmering pathways, tunnels, and patterns. Winter illuminations like this have grown in popularity at Japan’s parks, and they often stay up long after the holidays, providing a bright distraction from winter’s long nights.

And if you’re chilled after wandering among the colorful lights, consider a trip to the rest of Nagashima Spa Land, where a huge complex of onsen baths await. In these traditional Japanese hot spring baths, you can have a relaxing soak in hot-water pools, both indoors and out, some with aromatic herbs floating in the gentle current.

Daily Pic 12/20/17

© Adam Woodworth/Aurora Photos

Milky Way seen near Bar Harbor, Maine



Today in History 12/08 (World War II)

President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs the declaration of war at the White House in Washington, DC, December 8, 1941 (© AP)(1941) US declares war on Japan a day after Pearl Harbor attack
In one of the most stirring speeches of his presidency, Franklin Roosevelt asks Congress to declare war and calls the day of the Pearl Harbor attack, “a date which will live in infamy.” The House soon approves the war declaration, while Japan’s allies, Germany and Italy, will then declare war on the US, bringing the US into WWII.
On December 8, 1941, the United States Congress declared war on the Empire of Japan in response to that country’s surprise attack on Pearl Harbor the prior day. It was formulated an hour after the Infamy Speech of US President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Japan had sent a message to the United States to its embassy in Washington earlier, but because of problems at the embassy in decoding the very long message – the high-security level assigned to the declaration meant that only personnel with very high clearances could decode it, which slowed down the process – it was not delivered to the U.S. Secretary of State until after the Pearl Harbor attack. Following the U.S. declaration, Japan’s allies, Germany and Italy, declared war on the United States, bringing the United States fully into World War II.
United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt signing the declaration of war against Japan, in the wake of the attack on Pearl Harbor
President Roosevelt, wearing a black armband, signs the Declaration of War on Japan on December 8, 1941
wiki/United_States_declaration_of_war_on_Japan
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(1941) US declares war on Japan a day after Pearl Harbor attack.
Also on this day,

1980 | John Lennon is murdered by crazed fan in New York City
Ex-Beatle John Lennon, 40, is shot four times at close range by Mark David Chapman as the singer walks to his apartment with his wife, Yoko Ono. Hundreds of fans will keep vigil for a week at the scene of the shooting, and on what would have been Lennon’s 45th birthday, Ono will dedicate a memorial in the park.
1991 | Bergalis who contracted AIDS from her dentist dies at 23
Kimberly Bergalis is one of six patients who likely contracted AIDS from a Florida dentist and represents the first known case of a person contracting the disease from a health care worker. During her battle with the disease, Bergalis called for mandatory AIDS testing of health care workers, prompting intense public debate.
1993 | President Clinton signs NAFTA into law
The North America Free Trade Agreement between the US, Canada, and Mexico eliminates tariffs and other barriers to trade among these “most favored nations.” NAFTA will be blamed by some Americans for losing US jobs to Mexico, but will be wildly successful in reducing costs on goods.

Today in History 12/08/17

President Clinton discusses the North American Free Trade Agreement ( NAFTA ) November 15, 1993, at the Museum of American History in Washington, DC (© Win McNamee/Reuters)(1993) President Clinton signs NAFTA into law
The North America Free Trade Agreement between the US, Canada, and Mexico eliminates tariffs and other barriers to trade among these "most favored nations." NAFTA will be blamed by some Americans for losing US jobs to Mexico, but will be wildly successful in reducing costs on goods.
The North American Free Trade Agreement is an agreement signed by Canada, Mexico, and the United States, creating a trilateral trade bloc in North America. The agreement came into force on January 1, 1994. It superseded the Canada–United States Free Trade Agreement between the U.S. and Canada.
Founded: Jan 01, 1994
Founder: George H. W. Bush

NAFTA Initialing Ceremony
Back row, left to right: Mexican President Carlos Salinas de Gortari, U.S. President George H. W. Bush, and Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, at the initialing of the draft North American Free Trade Agreement in October 1992. In front are Mexican Secretary of Commerce and Industrial Development Jaime Serra Puche, United States Trade Representative Carla Hills, and Canadian Minister of International Trade Michael Wilson.
wiki/North_American_Free_Trade_Agreement
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